Visible warning attachment for barbed-wire fences.



w. MA INTOSH. VISIBLE WARNING ATTACHMENT FOR BABBED WIRE FENCES.

. APPLICATION FILED AUG.13, 1909. I

,7 Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

WILLIAM MAGINTOSH, 0F HAHNS PEAK, COLORADO.

VISIBLE WARNING ATTACHMENT FOR BARBED-WIRE FENCES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MAGINTOSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hahns Peak, county of Routt, and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Visible WVarning Attachments for Barbed-Wire Fences; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a visible warning attachment for barbed wire fences, adapted for use where animals are brought in contact therewith.

The object of my improvement is to prevent injury to animals by coming upon the fence unawares and injuring themselves upon the wires which are usually equipped with harsh barbs.

In my improved construction, I equip the posts with a top member, which is of sufficient width to make it visible to the animal, thus causing him to observe it before coming in contact therewith. This top member may be of any desired construction. For instance, it may be made of thin metal secured to the posts and connected with the intermediate stays, to which the ordinary wires are attached, or it may be composed of other material whose opposite, longitudinal edges are bent around stiffening wires, to which barbs may be applied, if desired. Attention is called to the fact that this top member may be either plain or barbed, the main idea being to make the member visible to the animal under all circumstances.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of fence equipped with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail View illustrating the top member of the construction shown in Fig. 4, but on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 2.

The same reference characters represent the same parts in all the views.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 13, 1909.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Serial No. 512,672.

Let the numeral 5, designate the posts and 6, the wires of an ordinary barb wire fence. To the upper portion of the posts, is applied the visible warning member 7, which, as heretofore indicated, may be of any desired construction to make it conspicuous, and prevent the animal from running against the fence and doing himself injury.

If the fence is of such construction that the animal can readily see it, it will of course be avoided by him. In my improved fence, the warning member usually applied to the upper extremities of the posts, thereby taking the place of the uppermost wire or the uppermost two wires, depending somewhat upon the width of the warning or safety member.

In the form of construction shown, the body 10, of the warning or safety device may be composed of any thin or flexible fabric. Its opposite edges are bent around wires 12, forming a supporting frame for the fabric. WVhile this device may be perfectly plain and smooth, it is illustrated in the drawing equipped with wire barbs 13, which are applied to its upper edges with the stiffening wires 12, forming a support therefor.

WVhile the plain form of the warning member would prevent possible injury by reason of the animals coming in contact therewith, it is believed that there is no objection to barbs on this warning or safety member, since it is always conspicuous and readily visible to the animal, and under such circiunstances, he will keep away from it. It would thus appear that there is no danger to animals from rough barbs, where they are mounted upon a member or members which are sufficiently conspicuous to make them readily visible at all times.

The body of the warning or safety member may consist of a thin ribbon of steel or other material, and its width may vary according to circumstances, the one requirement being that it shall make itself conspicuous at all times for the aforesaid purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: I

1. A visible warning attaelm'ient for barbed wire fences, comprising a top member of conspicuous vertical width, the said member being composed of relatively thin material and stiffening wires, around which 10 are folded, the said edges being equipped With barbs passing through the folds and around the Wires, as means of holding the Wires in the folds, substantially as described.

In testimony WllGIQOfI afiiX my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM MAOINTOSH.

Vitnesses:

VVENDELL M. ZIMMERMAN, GEORGE B. MCFADDEN. 

